Combined container and applicator



Feb. 18, 1941. R. c. RUPP COMBiNED CONTAINER AND APPLICATOR Filed Aug. 22, 1938 ag MM Patented Feb. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'COIVHHNED CONTAINER AND APPLICATOR Raymond C. Rupp, Kendallville, Ind.

Application August 22, 1938, Serial No. 226,181 6 Claims. (01. 91-674) The invention aims to provide a new and improved construction in which one end of a collapsible tube for any pasty or fluid substance, is provided with a body of sponge rubber or other elastic material having a self-closing discharge slit through which to extrude said substance, the outer side of said body being adapted for spreading the substance on any desired surface.

In the preferred construction, the elastic body is permanently secured to the tube, the two constituting one article of manufacture, but obviously any novelty in said body is not restricted to one permanently secured to the tube and could well be incorporated in a closure separate from but applicable to the tube.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, description being accomplished by reference to the accompanying draw- Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the normal sealed condition of the article.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the action which occurs when extruding the substance from the tube.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively outer and inner side elevations of the elastic body.

A preferred construction has been shown and will be specifically described, with the understanding, however, that variations may be made within the scope of the invention as claimed.

The collapsible tube 1 for any desired pasty or fluid substance 8, is closed at one end 9 in the customary way. At the other end of this tube, however, instead of providing the usual frustoconical end wall and threaded discharge neck, I provide a flat end wall I!) at right angles to the length of the tube, said wall l0 having a discharge opening II which is preferably centrally located.

A relatively thick disk or body l2 of sponge rubber or other appropriate elastic material, is fluid-tightly secured to the outer side of the wall I0, preferably by cementing said disk or body to said wall. When sponge rubber is used for this disk or body I2, it preferably has a slight skin at both its inner and outer sides.

The disk or body I2 is formed with a selfclosing discharge slit I3. This slit extends from the inner to the outer side of the disk or body and is of substantially C-shape, providing both a discharge opening l4 and a plug l5 for said opening, one side of said plug being integrally joined to the disk or body l2. The opening I4 is, of course, in alinement with the opening II and when the tube 1 is partially collapsed, the substance 8 within said tube forces outwardly upon the plug [5 as seen in Figs. 2 and 4, allowing unhampered extrusion of said substance. The outer side of the disk or body I2 is then usable for spreading the extruded substance upon any desired surface, and the spreading action positively forces the plug [5 back into the opening M to airtightly seal the tube. It is preferable that the slit I3 be so formed that both the plug I5 and the opening M will increase in diameter toward their outer ends, giving a construction equivalent to a valve and a valve seat.

From' the foregoing taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be seen that novel and advantageous provision has been made for carrying out the object of the invention, the construction being of particular advantage in the marketing and use of shoe polish, shaving cream, mechanics soap, ointments and the like, fishing line dressing, etc.

I claim:

1. A combined container and applicator comprising a collapsible tube, and an elastic body closing one end of said tube, said body having a substantially C-shaped slit from its inner to its outer side, providing a discharge opening and closing plug for said opening integrally joined at one side to said body, said plug being adapted to yield partly out of said opening and allow extrusion of the substance container in the tube when said tube is partially collapsed, use of said outer side of said body for spreading the extruded substance on a surface serving to positively force said plug back into the discharge opening to seal same.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1; said slit being so formed that said discharge opening and plug increase in diameter from their inner to their outer ends.

3. A collapsible tube closure comprising a body of elastic material for connection with the tube, said body having a substantially c-shaped slit from its inner to its outer side, providing a discharge opening and a plug for said opening integrally joined at one side to said body.

4. A structure as specified in claim 3; said slit being so formed that said opening and said plug increase in diameter toward their outer ends.

5. A collapsible container having an end wall at substantially right angles to its length and prodisk having a flat inner side fluid-tightly secured against the outer side of said end wall, said disk also: having an exposed outer side constituting an applicator surface, said disk being suflicient ly thick and elastic to readily yield during use of said applicator surface, the central portion of said disk which extends across said opening being provided with a self-closing discharge slit which is forced open by the pressure of the container contents when pressure is exerted on the 10 container.

RAYMOND C. RUPP. 

